Index tab device



P. ZALKIND INDEX TAB DEVICE Aug. 25, 1953 ESheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 22, 1949 INVENTOR.

PHILIP ZALKIND 5 BY L/93 l llli Aug. 25, 1953 P. ZALKIND INDEX TAB DEVICE '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1949 llill IIIII I l lillllll'l INVENTOR.

PHILIP ZALKIND Patented Aug. 25, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INDEX TAB DEVICE Philip Zalkind, New York, N. Y.

Application April 22, 1949, Serial No. 89,043

13 Claims.

This application is a continuation in part of my application Serial Number 505,280, filed October 7, 1943, now Patent No. 2,507,659, for Index and Reinforcing Members.

The present invention relates to a species of index tabs disclosed in the aforementioned application and presents various modifications and improvements thereof.

The prior and present inventions pertain, in general, to tab and marker structures for carrying indicia to be applied to .file folders, book pages, etc. for indexing purposes, although the same structure could serve as an edge reinforcing means. A particularly novel feature of these inventions is the use of a pressure sensitive adhesive together with peelable separation protective strips combined in such a manner with the tab structure as to provide a conveniently manipulatable indicia device for attachment to the marginal edge of folders. My basic tab combination as set forth in the prior application was subject to a drawback if carelessly handled such that when the peeling strips were removed and exposed, adhesively coated surfaces would some times contact each other and thus lock the legs of the tab in an inoperative condition, requiring separation before the legs could be applied astraddle the marginal edge of a folder. The present invention completely eliminates such drawback by using a structure based on one of the species of the prior case, but in modified form. A further feature of the present invention resides in providing a tab of substantially increased rigidity When applied to a folder edge, the basic structure resulting in such advantage being disclosed in the aforementioned species of the prior case.

Accordingly, from the above discussion it will be apparent that the objects of the present invention are to provide an easily manipulatable and completely fool-proof tab structure which may be readily and securely applied to a folder edge or the like and which will be a substantially rigid and integral part thereof when applied.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tab structure which lends itself to manufacture by economical mass production methods.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a tab structure which may be made and sold as a unit comprising a plurality of separable tabs; certain of such units having tabs carrying an indicia series such as an alphabet and other of such units carrying tabs with blank writing surfaces.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a tab structure which may be made and sold as a unit but comprising an elongated body which may be cut into individual tabs of any desired length, e. g., from a long strip or from a roll.

Other objects and features'of my invention will be apparent from the detailed description which now follows, taken in conjunction with the appended drawing in which:

Figure 1 shows an elevation of a form of my invention wherein the individual tab elements are substantially as disclosed in a species of my prior application;

Figure 2 is a section through 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section through 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of one of the tabs shown in Figure 1 as applied to the marginal edge of a folder;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of a manifold tab;

Figure 6 illustrates the backing element utilized in a multiple tab structure;

Figure '7 shows a partially assembled view of a multiple tab structure;

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view of the elements of Figure '7 completely assembled;

Figure 9 illustrates another form of a multiple tab structure;

Figure 10 is a section through Ill-40 of Figure 9;

Figure 11 shows a further modified multiple tab structure;

Figure 12 is a cross sectional view of a modified structure intended to serve as a chart hanging element or as a hole reinforcement;

Figure 13 is a further modification of the form shown in Figure 11, being illustrated in an exploded view;

Figure 14 is an assembled cross-sectional view of the form shown in Figure 13.

In the figures of the drawing like reference characters refer to like parts; all figures show dimensionally exaggerated elements for purposes of clear illustration.

With reference to Figures 1-3, my invention comprises a plurality of tabs each of which has a backing member [0 of any suitable sheet material, such as thin cardboard or metal, having indicia printed on a tab portion [2. The lower portion of the backing member comprises a narrowed tongue l3; and a suitable transparent plastic sheet I6 is adheringly applied to the backing element, covering both sides of tab [2. Sheet I6 is provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive coating which adheres to the surfaces of the tab and the outer surface of tongue 13. As seen on Figure 1, sheet l6 extends laterally beyond the sides of tongue l3 and ordinarily the adhesive coating on the inner face of the transparent sheet would thus be exposed on each side of the tongue as areas 16a and IE2). However, in order to protect these adhesive areas from contact with other objects prior to use, a peelable separation strip [9 of any suitable conventional material having an adhesive repella'nt surface is temporarily held thereon, as best shown in Figure 3, illustrating the general manner in which strip I9 contiguous- 1y overlies the surface of tongue [3 and adheringly engages the extending adhesive areas of Ito and 5b. Strip [9 has an integral folded over, i. e., re-entrant portion 22, as seen on Figure 2, which in accordance with the teaching of my prior application may be manually grasped and pulled to peel strip l9 away from engagement with sheet [3 to thus expose the adhesively coated areas [6a and [6b for application to the marginal portion of a folder, or index guide, in a readily understood manner, the areas 16a and I6b being pressed against the surface just below the top edge of the folder so that the tab portion carrying the indicia protrudes above the edge for ready visibility, in a manner well understood.

In the forms shown in Figures 1-3 the tongue [3 acts as a stiffening member and substantially increases the rigidity of the tab as a whole when attached at a folder edge. Thus if tongue l3 were lacking, the adhesive sheet 16 would be called upon to maintain an upright position of the indicia carrying portion of the tab, which would result in a weaker structure since sheet [6 adheres to only one side of the folder in this particular form of the invention.

Further, it will be apparent from Figure 1 that for convenience in manufacture and use a plurality of tabs may be integrally provided by utilizing a partial severance between the several strips l9 such that the strips remain attached to a portion 24 of the web from which they are formed. As illustrated, the exemplary tabs A, B, C, are completely severed from each other, yet are maintained in proper alphabetical order by web portion 24.

In Figure 4 is illustrated a modification of Figure 2 in that the tab member 30 is folded over at 33 to form a panel 36 which is glued in back to back relation with tab 30, thus providing an edge 39 of the panel for abutment with the top edge of a folder wall 42 whereby the tab is automatically and properly positioned for attachment thereto. The double thickness construction thus described yields a more substantial tab as well as aiding rigidity when attached to a folder wall due to the abutment edge 39.

Figure 5 discloses a modification of Figure 4 in that the adhesively coated plastic sheet 44 is lengthened to form extension 41 which is protected by a peelable strip 50 having a re-entrant portion 53 for grasping manually to peel away portion 50 thus exposing the surface of extension 41, the pressure sensitive adhesive thereon then being engageable with the margin of a folder wall. Thus by peeling away strips I9 and 5D the tab may be secured to a folder by fastening to both sides thereof as will readily be appreciated and as set forth substantially in my prior application.

In Figure 6 is disclosed a portion of a blank 60 for a backing member suitable for manufacturing multiple tab units in a rapid and convenient manner. The blank may be cut from any suitable sheet material, either fibrous or metallic, and will be understood to comprise a body member having a fold line 63 impressed centrally therein, the body member being elongated in the direction of the fold line to any desired extent. On each side of the fold line 63 are tab areas 66 and a row of spaced tongues 10 are formed as a continuation of respective tab areas; fore shortened bend line impressions 73 may be formed at the line of juncture between respective tongues and the tab area edges. Impressions [3, while not absolutely essential, assist in making the resultant tabs more manipulatable when being applied to the edge of a folder.

It will be appreciated that member 60 may be made in predetermined lengths so as to provide, say two dozen tabs per unit, or member 60 may be manufactured in the form of a roll hundreds of feet long for use in a machine for continuous assembly thereof with the other tab elements; or member 60 may be cut from a continuously fed web as an initial step in a continuous assembly machine. Such a machine would produce, basically, a laminated structure (Figure 7) comprising backing member 60, tape '16 coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive face down on member 60 so as to cover one surface of the tab portions 66 and tongues 10, and peelable strips 83 with their respective reentrant portions 83. The strips adhere to the coated surface of the tape on each side of the tongues as illustrated in Figure 3. Thus a laminated assembly is produced which may subsequently be folded about and glued to both sides of a stiffener member 86 (shown in phantom) so as to form the finished product. The gluing operation may be effected by applying glue to the sides of element 86 as it is fed from a roll and then folding tab portions 66 about fold line 63, to yield a product shown in cross section in Figure 8. Element 86 also serves as a positioning abutment as shown at 39 in Figure 4.

Figures 6-8 disclose a basic concept which leads to various modifications. For example, the tape 56 may be opaque or transparent. If opaque, the exterior surface may bear printed characters or be a writing surface. If transparent, then indicia Will have previously been printed on one or both the tab portions 66. Further, the stiffener member 86, while helpful, is not absolutely essential, since back to back gluing of the tab portions may be utilized as shown in Figure 5.

The structure just described may be sold as an elongated unit, wherein the tape is opaque, so that the consumer may cut off a tab of any length and inscribe indicia thereon; or as a final step in a continuous assembly mode of manufacture tabs of uniform length may be cut from the assembled combination, such tabs to be out along lines preferably determined by the troughs between tongues so as to maintain one or more full width tongues centered for individual tabs.

Tongues 10 yield a further very important result. By referring to Figure 8 it will be understood that subsequent to removal of the peeling strips 80, tongues 10 are in opposed relation to each other and occupy a position such as to maintain the adhesively coated tape areas on either side of them from accidental contact. Thus careless handling in peeling strips away is guarded against by the blocking position of tongues 10 which also stiffen the tape areas to minimize their bending towards each other; otherwise the coated portions of the tape might engage each other and render the tab useless unless they could be pried apart, a rather difficult process. In fact, sometimes rapid simultaneous peeling of strips 80, were it not for tongues 70, might cause 5. the undesirable engagement described. As an additional precaution tongues 10 may be provided with a pre-formed outward curl so that their tips are normally biased away from each other on each tab.

The modification shown in Figures 9 and 10 differs from the form shown in Figures 7 and 8 to the extent that the peelable strip elements are comprised of a continuous web 90 having aligned fold lines 93 at the bottom and slits 96 extending from the lower edge up to the lower extremity of the adhesive sheet I6. It will be noted that slits 96 are aligned with the troughs 88 between adjoining tongues 10. Thus when it is desired to cut off a tab of any predetermined length which is a multiple of the distance between slits 96, such slits act as cutting guide lines and facilitate the operation, tongues I and troughs 88 being obscured from view by the opacity of adhesive sheet 16. Further, the unslit portion of web 90 as well as the continuous condition of the laminated elements 60, I6, 86, provide an integral structure salable in unit lengths, or in rolls.

Where it is desired to provide a unit comprising a plurality of identical tabs, the form shown in Figure 11 may be utilized. In this modification the structure comprises a carrying card I00 which carries on each longitudinal margin a plurality of tabs IOI which in cross section may be substantially as shown in Figures or 8, it being under- I stood that the reentrant portions of the peeling strips are glued to the respective marginal portions of the card, for example, as shown for the re-entrant portions I02 of Figures 13 and 14. It will be appreciated that any tab may be removed for inscription and application by merely pulling it away from card I00.

My basic concept of laminating a tongued backing member with an adhesive sheet and peelable strips lends itself nicely to an adaptation, as shown in Figure 12, for use as a holereinforcing means as utilized for leaves in a loose leaf hinder, or as a means for hanging charts and data sheets, etc. from hooks on a wall or bulletin board. For example, the combination shown in cross section in Figure 12 is essentially the same as illustrated in Figure 8, except that the tab portions 66 are not glued to a stiffening element. An integral peeling strip means I03, essentially as disclosed in my prior application is provided, although separate peeling strips as shown in Figure 8 could be utilized. By punching holes I06 through the tab portions 66, i. e., through the backing member and the sheet I6 as shown in Figure 12, it will be apparent that the structure may be stripped of element I03 and then disposed astraddle the edge of a loose leaf sheet so that holes I06 register with a hole therein for reinforcement thereof. Alternatively, the structure may be secured to the marginal edge of a map, chart, calendar, etc. with holes I06 disposed outwardly thereof so as to receive a peg or hook on which the object is to be hung.

The form shown in Figures 13 and 14 is a composite of features shown in Figures 1, 8 and 11, in that a carrying card I00, a transparent sheet IIO, eeling strips 80, etc. all as found on one or the other of the three figures mentioned are utilized. The exploded view of Figure 13 shows the condition generally existing after a tab has been pulled away from peeling strips 80; a slight outwardly flaring or curl is produced in the tab legs comprising tongues I0 and associated portions of sheet IIO, which expedites placing the structure astraddle the edge of a sheet, the un- 6 coated surfaces of the tongues also materially aids the unit to slide to position.

In summation, it will be apparent that the provision of a tongue on a single tab portion, as shown in Figure 1, yields a rigidified and easily manipulated product, while the provision of oppositely disposed tongues as shown, e. g. in Figure 13, yields an even more rigidified structure as well as eliminating the risk of locking contact between the facing portions of the adhesive sheet after being stripped of its peelable protective means. Thus the multiple advantages of the tongue structure is evident, particularly since it is readily adaptable to manufacture by a continuous assembly method as generally described, either for the production of individual tabs, to be sold in sets or by quantity, or for the production of severable tabs sold as an integral unit, all as hereinabove set forth.

I believe that other modifications of my basic concept will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art by virtue of the teachings herein disclosed, and accordingly I do not seek to be limited to the specific disclosures except as set forth in the appended claims:

I claim:

1. An indicia device having a backing member comprised of a tab and a narrowed tongue integrally depending therefrom, an adhesively coated sheet having portions adhering to said tab and to said tongue, said sheet having an adhesive area exposed transversely beyond the sides of said tongue for application to the marginal edge.

of a folder or the like, said tongue extending.

downwardly from said tab and co-planar there-- with, the extended length of said tongue being: substantially equal to that of said sheet in the:

extended direction.

2. An indicia device having a backing member comprising two opposed joined tab elements, each of said tab elements having an integral narrowed tongue depending therefrom and extending from an edge thereof and beyond said edge, said tongues being in separated relation from each other, and an adhesively coated sheet secured to said backing member and being adhesively secured to said tab elements and tongues on their exterior faces, said sheet having adhesive area portions extending transversely beyond said tongues for adherence to opposite sides of the marginal edge of a folder or the like.

3. An index device or the like having a backing member comprising two opposed joined tab elements, a narrowed tongue extending from an edge of at least one of said tab elements, coplanar therewith and integrally joined thereto, and an adhesively coated sheet adhering to said tongue and the respective tab element, said sheet having an adhesive area extending transversely beyond the edges of said tongue for application to the marginal edge of a folder, said tongue extending downwardly from said tab to a degree substantially equal to that of the length of said sheet in the same direction.

4. A mutliple index tab device having a backing member of sheet material comprising a pair of elongated and opposed joined walls, at least one of said walls having an edge provided with a plurality of integrally dependent and spaced tongues extending beyond said edge, a sheet having a face coated with pressure sensitive adhesive adhering to said tongues and said walls and extending between adjacent tongues so as to have free adhesive portions therebetween, a, manually peelable strip adheringly carried by said free por- '7 tions and extending substantially the length of said walls and normally covering said intermediate free portions.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4, including a carrying card, said manually peelable strip having a re-entrant portion permanently secured to said card.

6. An index device having a backing member comprising a pair of opposed joined tab elements, each of said elements having an integral narrowed tongue depending from an edge thereof and extending beyond said edge, said tongues being spaced from each other; a sheet coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive adhering to said tab elements and said tongues on the exterior faces thereof and having adhesive areas extending beyond the latter and facing each other, and a manually peelable strip means adhering to said extending adhesive areas and being disposed intermediate said tongues.

7. An index tab as set forth in claim 6, wherein said tongues are in symmetrically opposed relation.

8. An article of manufacture comprising a plurality of severable index tabs, or the like, said tabs comprising a common elongated backing member of sheet material, narrowed tongues extending outwardly from an edge of said member and beyond said edge at spaced intervals, a sheet coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive covering one side of said member and said tongues and having adhesive areas extending in- :termediate said tongues, and a common protective means having a surface peelably adhering to :said intermediate adhesive areas.

9. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 8, wherein said protective means comprises a sheet material member having an edge folded over and coated exteriorally for peelably receiving said intermediate adhesive areas, said folded edge being disposed adjacent the juncture between said tongues and said edge of said backing member whereby any tab may be separated from said protective means by being pulled away from said folded edge.

10. An index tab as set forth in claim 6, iiicluding a stiffening filler intermediate said tab elements.

11. An index tab as set forth in claim 1, wherein said adhesively coated sheet is comprised of a transparent plastic, including printed indicia on said tab visible through said sheet, said adhesive coating comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive and a manually peelable protective strip adhering to said exposed area.

12. An index tab as set forth in claim 6, wherein said coated sheet is comprised of a transparent plastic, including printed indicia on at least one of said tabs visible through said sheet.

13. An indicia device having a backing member comprised of a tab and a narrowed tongue integrally depending therefrom, an adhesively coated sheet having portions adhering to said tab and to said tongue, said sheet having an adhesive area exposed transversely beyond the sides of said tongue for application to the marginal edge of a folder or the like, wherein said tongue extends outwardlyfrom said tab so as to engage said folder and be secured thereto by said adhesive sheet.

PHILIP ZALKIND.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,059,519 Bissex Apr. 22, 1913 1,164,7 1 Hub Dec. 21, 1915 1,326,370 Porter Dec. 30, 1919 1,462,626 Ringler July 24, 1923 1,612,267 Dickson Dec. 28, 1926 1,687,859 Fontaine Oct. 16, 1928 1,938,944 Tussing Dec. 12, 1933 1,961,079 Pettis May 29, 1934 2,139,377 Mull et al Dec. 6, 1938 2,292,272 Hirshfield Aug. 4, 1942 2,507,659 Zalkind May 16, 1950 2,541,791 Taylor Feb. 13, 1951 

